Ezekiel 18

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2“1What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘2The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children’s teeth 3are set on edge’? 3As I live,” declares the Lord 4God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. 4Behold, 5all 6souls are Mine; the 7soul of the father as well as the 8soul of the son is Mine. The 9soul who 10sins will die.

5“But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness, 6and does not 11eat at the mountain shrines or 12lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or 13defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period-- 7if a man does not oppress anyone, but 14restores to the debtor his pledge, 15does not commit robbery, but 16gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 8if he does not lend money on 17interest or take 18increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity and 19executes true justice between man and man, 9if he walks in 20My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully--21he is righteous and will surely 22live,” declares the Lord God.

10“Then he may 23have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother 11(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain shrines, and 24defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12oppresses the 25poor and needy, 26commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols and 27commits abomination, 13he 28lends money on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his 29blood will be 30on his own head.

14“Now behold, he 31has a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and 32observing does not do likewise. 15He does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife, 16or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, but he 33gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing, 17he keeps his hand from 34the poor, does not take interest or increase, but executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; 35he will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live. 18As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.

19“Yet you say, ‘36Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity?’ When the son has practiced 37justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20The person who 38sins will die. The 39son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the 40righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

21“But if the 41wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 2242All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his 43righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 2344Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “45rather than that he should 46turn from his ways and live?

24“But when a righteous man 47turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? 48All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his 49treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. 25Yet you say, ‘50The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is 51My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right? 26When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. 27Again, when a wicked man turns away 52from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. 28Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29But the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “53Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. 3154Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a 55new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? 32For I have 56no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”